Quite a pleasant surprise in, of all places, Corning, California--- three hours north of San Francisco.
Sevillano Links is part of the Rolling Hills Casino, which is owned by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians. That casino receives much more play than the course, which was almost empty the day we played. That's a shame.
We were wary of this place due to the John Daly Signature. Architect Mike Stark did the real work, although you will find some of Daly's influence in the length. At 7823 yards from the tips, it's long, and about to get longer with additional teeing grounds to provide each hole with a par-5 option. That’s just marketing, however. The real course, which plays as short as 5429 yards, is a links-style gem.
Stark began with gently rolling pasture and designed a course that appears as if he poured strips of grass onto the terrain. Sevillano Links is a minimalist and subtle design. It has a good mix of par-4’s. The par-3’s vary in length, up-or-down elevations, and types of hazards, including water. Some of the par-5’s are like odysseys. The holes are difficult, but fair.
It's just very nice to see a new golf course without the hokum.